Although Obama has refused to wear real fur, the White House maintained that PETA never received authorization from her to use her image in the ad, which ran on Washington, D.C.-area Metro stations and on the organization's website.

Last week, PETA president Ingrid Newkirk insisted her organization wouldn't have sought Obama's consent for the ad because it knows that she can't make such an endorsement.

"The fact is that Michelle Obama has issued a statement indicating that she doesn't wear fur, and the world should know that in PETA's eyes, that makes her pretty fabulous," she said in a press statement.

Meanwhile, PETA is urging the White House to take a stand against the Ringling Bros. circus, which recently showcased a performing elephant named Baby Barack.

In a letter to President Barack Obama, Newkirk urged the White House to demand a name change.

"Baby Barack is not even a year old, but his curious and energetic childhood has been cut tragically short while Ringling attempts to profit from your popularity by putting him on the road to perform in the circus," Newkirk wrote.